Bethlehem residents discussed the shooting of Nikki by an animal control officer earlier in February. (Courtesy of Meghan Decker)

Bethlehem residents discussed the shooting of Nikki by an animal control officer earlier in February. (Courtesy of Meghan Decker)

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Bethlehem residents discussed the shooting of Nikki by an animal control officer earlier in February. (Courtesy of Meghan Decker)

Bethlehem residents discussed the shooting of Nikki by an animal control officer earlier in February. (Courtesy of Meghan Decker)

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Jordan and Meghan Decker stand in front of their South Bethlehem home on Saturday, hours after their dog, Nikki, was shot and killed by the town's animal control officer. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Jordan and Meghan Decker stand in front of their South Bethlehem home on Saturday, hours after their dog, Nikki, was shot and killed by the town's animal control officer. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

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Nikki, a Siberian husky belonging to Jordan and Meghan Decker, was shot and killed by the Bethlehem Animal Control Officer after the dog escaped from her backyard. (Photo provided by Meghan Decker)

Nikki, a Siberian husky belonging to Jordan and Meghan Decker, was shot and killed by the Bethlehem Animal Control Officer after the dog escaped from her backyard. (Photo provided by Meghan Decker)

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Anger remains over shooting

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BETHLEHEM — More than a week after the town's animal control officer shot and killed a Siberian husky, residents demanded an independent investigation into the incident.

"Why does he not carry tranquilizers?" one woman asked, referring to the town's animal control officer.

On Feb. 11, the officer, Richard Watt, responded to a home on Bridge Street after a report of a loose dog attacking goats and horses. The horses were panicked in a pen with the dog, police said, and Watt shot the dog four times with a personal pistol he is allowed to use in his capacity as animal control officer in order to save the livestock.

Jordan and Meghan Decker, owners of the dog, Nikki, told the Times Union the animal slipped out of her collar, freeing her from her tie-out cord. The owners estimated the dog was gone for 10 minutes before it was shot.

After the incident, questions about how and why it happened arose, and several citizens stood before the Town Board Wednesday night seeking answers.

Bethlehem Police Lt. Robert Berben sought to allay resident concerns with results from a police investigation into the case, where he said Watt did nothing wrong.

"After reviewing everything, Officer Watt did a very good job," Berben said.

Berben said even if Watt would have had a Taser or another weapon available to him, he would have had to resort to shooting the dog, because the horses were panicked and it would have been dangerous to do anything other than kill Nikki.

Berben read two statutes from the state's Agriculture and Markets law where it gives Watt or any other person the authority to destroy any animal attacking livestock.

"It was a very dangerous situation," Berben said. "There really was no other option."

But residents were not satisfied with the explanation.

"Of course the town is going to stick up for him, he's a town employee," one resident said as she demanded an independent investigation.